Having a Highly Sensitive Nervous System means that our nervous system responds longer and more deeply to external stimuli. When faced with excessive physical, sensory, or emotional stimuli, a Highly Sensitive Nervous System will go into over-drive and turn on the fight-flight response.
HSPs are typically highly intelligent, and seek out opportunities to do deep work.
In a word, yes. As highly sensitive people, our nervous systems are more finely tuned than those of non-HSPs. This means we respond to all stimuli in a stronger way, including traumatic experiences.
An HSP will most likely be overwhelmed by stimuli much more quickly and/or frequently than is usual for others. They will often be swiftly affected by other people's moods. They will get very nervous if somebody is competing with or observing them, and they are more easily startled than is considered normal.
If someone's levels are high, overwhelm will occur much more quickly. If someone is unable to self-regulate or decrease the overwhelm, then a meltdown can occur.
The psychologist says overwhelmed HSPs also may feel even more sensitive to external stimuli like bright lights and loud noises and they may feel “irritable, on edge and overcome with anxiety”. “It's also very common for HSPs to feel physically unwell when they are stressed,” she adds.
Autism and high sensitivity are often incorrectly thought to be the same thing. The prevalence of autism is currently estimated at around 2 percent of the population, while about 30 percent are highly sensitive.
HSPs may become stressed, anxious, or depressed more easily. Crying easily can be a symptom of depression, anxiety, or a lot of stress in your life. Since HSPs feel so deeply and can experience sensory overload, we're more susceptible to strong feelings of depression or anxiety.
HSPs are also neurodivergent, their brains being wired differently. HSPs are highly sensitive to their environment and react with heightened emotional and behavioural responses.
Most HSPs need at least 8 hours, and many sleep over the average -- 9 or 10 hours nightly.
Overstimulation, or sensory overload, is when your senses are just completely overloaded with information, making it difficult (or sometimes near impossible) to fully process the information you are receiving. This type of overstimulation is often seen in what we often call highly sensitive people (or HSP for short).
Being highly sensitive to the world does not necessarily indicate narcissism, but those who perceive themselves as especially fragile due to their personality paired with an attitude that discomfort must be avoided at all times can be prone to show aspects of hypersensitive narcissism and a sense of entitlement to ...
Nearly half the people who have Henoch-Schonlein purpura developed it after an upper respiratory infection, such as a cold. Other triggers include chickenpox, strep throat, measles, hepatitis, certain medications, food, insect bites and exposure to cold weather.
Unfortunately, many HSPs become more stressed and are more prone to anxiety disorders. They have a hard time with conflict and tend to avoid confrontation. This can be challenging in the workplace or at home.
While the personality trait doesn't have an official diagnosis, there are certain ways a person can determine whether or not they are an HSP. For example, a highly sensitive person may be prone to feeling overwhelmed in stressful situations and, therefore, may avoid conflict. “HSPs are reflective, deep thinkers.”
Being a highly sensitive person and an empath are not mutually exclusive: One can be both, and many highly sensitive people are also empaths.
Because HSPs' brains are wired differently, the way they process information and come to a decision is different from people who don't have high SPS. They take more time making decisions, and can feel overwhelmed when asked to make a particularly tough one.
Hypersensitivity, also known as being a “highly sensitive person” (HSP), is not a disorder. It is an attribute common in people with ADHD.
Like other co-morbid conditions that are often seen with ADHD, the fact that there are similarities and differences between ADHD traits and those of an HSP, can lead to confusion in diagnosis.
Stress & Sensitivity Can Worsen With Age for HSPs. Here's How to Prevent That. If you are a highly sensitive person (HSP) you might be growing larger stress centers in your brain without even knowing it, and if you don't do anything about it, they will become even bigger.
Highly sensitive people are easy to love and easy to live with—as long as you understand our unique needs. They say we can't help who we fall in love with, which I think is true. So you may very well fall in love with a highly sensitive person (HSP).
How common are highly sensitive people? Since Aron conceived the concept of what it means to be an HSP, more and more people have been identifying themselves as highly sensitive. It is believed that HSPs are not rare, and that about 15-20% of the population are thought to be an HSP.
In her work with more than 6,500 gifted children, she has found that there is a correlation between giftedness and sensitivity, with highly gifted individuals often exhibiting the traits of a sensitive person.